LAHORE: The Punjab government on Monday upgraded 1,227 elementary schools to high school level in 36 districts of the province.

Chief Minister Usman Buzdar chaired a meeting in his office about school education sector reforms. Punjab Minister School Education Murad Raas and School Education Department Secretary Sara Aslam were present.

Briefing the meeting, Mr Raas said 1,227 elementary schools had been upgraded to the high level without spending a penny.

“The elementary schools that have been upgraded include 606 girls schools and 621 boys schools.”

Mr Raas said 3,315 surplus teachers of elementary schools would continue serving in the upgraded high schools and 3,933 additional classrooms in these elementary schools would be utilised for secondary classes.

The minister said additional teaching staff would not be transferred and it would continue serving in the same schools. He claimed the government would save Rs16bn by utilising available resources while more than 100,000 students would get benefit from upgrade of the schools.

Mr Raas said the elementary schools consisting of nine classrooms and six teachers upgraded to high and the secondary schools would later be upgraded to higher secondary level in the second phase.

Published in Dawn, June 9th, 2020